A new election commission executive director has been appointed as the DuPage County Board continues to work on an effort to do away with the office by merging into the county clerk's office.

Joseph Sobecki has been named to head the commission, succeeding Robert Saar, who retired in December.

Because a bill that would have allowed the commission to be dissolved has stalled in the Illinois House, and the soonest a referendum could be placed on the election ballot is spring 2018, the county must continue staffing the office, officials said.

Sobecki, who has served as interim director since Jan. 1, will be paid $121,000 a year. The interim position was paying $109,303, and his job as assistant executive director paid $99,367.

Saar's annual salary was $143,858, and he also received a $5,400 vehicle allowance, which Sobecki will not receive.

The office he oversees has 24 full-time employees and 50 seasonal workers.

"Mr. Sobecki is an excellent government employee who serves without an employment contract," said Cathy Terrill, chairwoman of the DuPage Election Commission.

"He was selected by unanimous vote of the Election Commission, he brings 18 years of election and management experience to this position, and he did an exemplary job as the interim director."

As executive director of the commission, Sobecki is responsible for all aspects of election operations for the county, including equipment, facilities, employees and consultants. Sobecki has developed computer applications to collect electronic data for early voter verification and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, officials said.

However, County Board Chairman Dan Cronin and other board members have pushed to eliminate the commission in order to save money. Aside from DuPage, Peoria is the only other county in Illinois to have an election commission.

Senate Bill 1592, which called for the commission to be dissolved and a five-member oversight board be established as part of the county clerk's office, was submitted by state Sens. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, and Chris Nybo, R-Elmhurst.

It was approved by the Senate but did not go to the full House for a vote before the May 31 legislative deadline.

"We passed the bill out of the Senate with bipartisan support," Harmon said. "I was hoping the bill would provide a framework for a more bipartisan solution than one that would be dominated by Republicans. I'm sad that the infighting among Democrats and Republicans might lead, ironically, to a result that is far more partisan."

Some opposition may stem from giving the board chairman — currently Cronin, a Republican — the authority to appoint one of the board's five members. The other members would be the county clerk and the three current commissioners.

If Cronin is successful in adding a binding referendum to the election ballot next year and that measure is approved, the existing election commission would be eliminated and the existing three-member election board kept in place.